Lee, Kirk strong at state screening

Two bright young football talents from the Mid North, BSR’s Jackson Lee and Crystal Brook’s Brayden Kirk, were among 16 participants in the 2016 AFL draft combine state screening at the Wayville basketball centre on Saturday.

The pair worked together in preparation for the screening.

“We spent two weeks with former Crow Bryan Beinke and his Karomny Fitness warehouse,” Lee said.

“Brayden and I work on the power for 20-metre sprint and agility test.

“I was happy to a degree, with the way I performed.

“In the beep test I would have liked to get a 14, but that’s the way it goes.”

This is Lee’s third year in the Woodville West Torrens underage program, after being a member of the BSR Senior Colts premiership side of 2013.

“Shane Reardon, our under 18s coach, has been an awesome communicator and we had a strong working relationship,” Lee said.

“I was a part of the five person leadership group with the Eagles Under 18s.

“I was fortunate enough to be captain throughout the finals.

“Back home Dad (Wayne) and Mum (Samantha) have been very important all the way along.

“I can’t thank them enough and the support around the Tigers has always been there.”

Lee is currently in final term of year 12 at Clare High, with one PE exam left and a tech project to complete.

Over the course of the morning, the squad were taken through six different tests.

They started with a 20-metre sprint, the agility test around a series of bollards, both the standing vertical jump and running vertical jumps off both feet and a set of six 30-metre repeat sprints.

Their athletic testing last Saturday culminated with a gruelling shuttle run – beep test.

“I did some personal training sessions with Jackson (Lee) leading up to the combine,” Kirk said.

“I was looking to improve on my times with North Adelaide at the start of the year.

“In every module I tested better than I did at the beginning of the year, except for the beep test, which wasn’t conducive to a good result.

“My best beep was a 13.5 in practice.

“This is my third year in the Roosters SANFL underage program – under 16s in 2014 and two seasons with the under 18s.

“I was also involved in the under 15s and under 17s country championship.”

Kirk has spoken with a third of the AFL clubs to this point.

Since he was an eight-year-old playing mini colts with Crystal Brook, he has dreamed of getting a crack at AFL level.

Kirk paid tribute to his father, Shane, and mother, Susan, for giving him the opportunity to move to Adelaide for school and support along the way.

He also mentioned his junior coach at “The Brook” as well, Joel Head.

He works at Adelaide Crows doing a traineeship a in community departing – promoting a program called “Growing with Gratitude” as a sport and recreation trainee.

Kirk and Lee first played cricket together as 12-year-olds and also played underage cricket with the Peckers in the SACA underage competition.